Visiting your Waterford, MI, dentist Dr. Glen Marsack every six months for checkups and cleanings is the best way to protect your teeth and gums against common problems; however, it’s also important to know when you should seek dental care between those cleanings. After all, issues can arise at any time and it’s important to know when those issues warrant a trip to our office.

What is root canal therapy?

This endodontic procedure is performed when the dental pulp, a soft-tissue mass inside the tooth, becomes infected or inflamed. Once the pulp is infected the only way to treat the problem is for Dr. Marsack to remove the pulp and clean out any bacteria that’s present to prevent an infection from spreading. A root canal can end up saving your tooth.

So, how do you know whether you might need root canal therapy?

Some people may require a root canal but never even know it until they come into our office for a checkup; however, it’s time to get yourself into our office if you do experience any of these telltale warning signs and symptoms,

A toothache

This is a classic sign that you have tooth decay. While a tooth can ache for many reasons if you find that you are dealing with persistent pain or pain that gets worse when putting pressure on the tooth (e.g. chewing) then this is a sign that you need to come in for an evaluation.

Tooth sensitivity

Have you noticed that one of your teeth has suddenly become very sensitive to certain hot or cold foods and drinks? If you find that the sensitivity persists even once you’ve stopped exposing the tooth to hot or cold foods and beverages then it’s time to come into our office for a checkup.

Tooth darkening

Has one of your teeth suddenly turned gray or darker than the rest of your teeth? This is another sign that there is an infection present within the tooth that is causing the roots of the tooth to decay.

Swollen gums

While inflamed gums are usually a sign of gum disease, if you find that only the gums surrounded the affected tooth are swollen, red or tender to the touch this is another sign that you may have a dental infection.

Don’t ignore warning signs that you may need root canal treatment. The sooner you seek treatment the better for the health of your smile. Call our Waterford, MI, dentist Dr. Glen Marsack at Crescent Lake Dental right away for care.